Locking device



Feb. 18, 1964 E. NORRENBERG-SUDHAUS 3,

LOCKING DEVICE Filed March 23, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 3

INVENTOR fewsr Nknswases-3up-m1s v BY 70%;, OM40! 3% ATTORNEY Feb. 18, 1964 E. NORRENBERG-SUDHAUS 3, ,318

LOCKING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 23, 1962 INVENTOR Emvsr A/o'kps/vaepq-fluw-mus 7% wot Fm ATTORNEY Feb. 18, 1964 E. NORRENBERG-SUDHAUS 3 8 LOCKING DEVICE Filed March 23, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I I INVENTOR fF/VST NORRENBERG Sup/mus BY fitw and Zm ATTORNEY United States Patent ()filice 2,121,318

Patented Feb. 18, 1964 3,121,318 LUCKING DEVICE Ernst Niirrenherg-Sudhans, Teichstrasse 5, Iserlohn, Westphalia, Germany Filed Mar. 23, 1962, Ser. No. 181,912 Claims priority, application Germany Oct. 28, 1961 15 Claims. (Cl. 70-69) This invention relates, in general, to locking devices and in particular to a new and useful lock for suitcases, valises and the like including upper and lower engageable locking members which include a projection on one which fits into a recess on the other, and a locking slide slidably carried by one of the members carrying a hook element which fits into the other of the members to lock the member in the latched position.

The present invention finds particular application in respect to locks for suitcases, valises and similar articles. With the locking devices for articles of this nature presently employed, great dimculty is encountered in maintaining the elements in latched engagement and providing a simple arrangement in which the latching is positive and reliable. The known latching mechanisms also include projecting portions on one or both of the parts which are exposed and which are apt to break off during the arrangement of the parts in latching engagement. In addition, such projecting parts are disadvantageous in that they are apt to cause tearing of articles of clothing or injury to persons.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a novel lock construction which includes upper and lower latching elements one of which carries a recess and the other carries a tongue engageable in the recess and which are carried on the articles on separate parts to be locked together. Locking is accomplished by placing the latching elements of the parts together one over the other and by displacing a slide member slidably carried by one of the elements into a channelshaped locking portion of the other element in order to secure the locking elements in locking engagement.

A feature of the invention is that the latch element may be easily arranged in a locking position and secured in this locking position by displacing a slide member.

In a preferred arrangement, the slide member is retained in the locking position by a locking spring which is displaced by a key.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved lock construction.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved lock construction which includes interengaging latching elements one of which includes a projecting tongue and the other of which includes a recess into which the tongue is received for latching purposes, and further including a latching slide carried by one of the members which includes a projection which is engageable on a slideway formed on the other member in order to lock the latching elements in a latched position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lock for suitcases and other similar articles which includes engageable block-shaped latching elements which are held together by a slide member adapted to completely cover the elements and which includes a locking tongue engageable with one of the elements to lock it in position adjacent the other element which carries the slide.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lock construction which is simple in design and rugged in construction and economical to manufacture.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specifica- 2 tion. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective of a lock constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a View similar to FIG. 1 but indicating the latched position;

FIG. 3 is a View similar to FIG. 1 but indicating the latching elements in a latched position and a locking slide in a locking position;

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are rear perspective views corresponding to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3;

FIG. 7 is a rear perspective view, partly broken away, of the slide element of the lock; and

FIG. 8 is a view similar ot FIG. 7 but indicating the parts in a locked position.

Referring to the drawings in particular, the invention embodied therein includes a lock generally designated 60 which includes an upper block-shaped body or latching element generally designated 7 which is secured to a wall 59 of a cover of a valise or similar element which is to be locked and lower block-shaped body or latching element generally designated 1 which is secured to a wall 51 which is adapted to be closed with the wall 50 by the lock 60.

In accordance with the invention, the upper latching element 7 includes a flat lower wall 8 which is adapted to be superimposed on a flat upper wall 2 of the lower latching element 1. A tongue or projection 9 is formed as an extension of the lower wall 8 of the upper latching element 7 and it fits into a rectangular recess 3 which is defined in the wall 2 of the lower latching element when the upper and lower latching elements are placed together as indicated in FIG. 5. The upper latching element 7 is formed as a channel with a wall 62 closing one end, but with the opposite end open at 44 to receive a latch leg or projection 48 which is formed to project from the upper interior portion of a slide element or member generally designated 12 which is slidably carried on the lower latching element 1. The upper and lower latching elements 7 and l are secured to their associated walls 50 and 51 by means of bolts 11, 11 and bolts 5, 5 (FIGS. 4 to 6), respectively.

The slide member generally designated 12 is carried by the lower latching element 1 by means of bolts 41 and 42 which extend into horizontally elongated slots 6, 6 defined in laterally spaced locations on the lower latching elements outer wall 64. The bolts 41 and 42 are secured against withdrawal from the slots 6 by means of spring washers 43, 43.

The slide member, designated generally by the reference number 12, is comprised of two mutually inverted open-sided block-shaped elements 13 and .14 (FIGS. 4, 5, 7 and 8). The inner block 13 is placed within the outer block 14, as shown at FIG. 4; the inner and outer blocks 13 and 14 forming a box-like structure which is closed on all sides. That is, the box-like structure is completely closed by the one large back wall of the inner block 13 and by four smaller side walls and the one large front wall of the outer block 14. Tabs 15 on each side of the element 14 hold the block-shaped element 13 therein. The interior of the slide 12 carries a spring locking mechanism which is operated by insertion of a key into an opening 52 'in a rotatable body 53 which is defined on a front wall 64 of the outer block 14.

A projection, or latching piece 48 extends outwardly from a side wall of the outer block-shaped element 14 and includes a bent-over portion as shown in FIG. 4.

This bent-over portion includes beveled side faces 49, 49, the lower one of which slides in contact with the lower flat wall 8 of the upper latching element 7 to produce a downward wedging action on this element 7 to hold it in tight contact with the lower latching element 1. The projection 48 is arranged to align with the channel formed by the upper latching element 7, as indicated in FIG. 5, and to be moved Within this channel behind wall 10 of element 7, as indicated in FIG. 6, when the slide member is in a locking position holding the two latching elements together.

The block-shaped member 13 advantageously includes bent prongs 46 and 47 which hold the projection 48 which is formed, generally, as a U-shaped element, as indicated in FIG. 7. The projection 4-8 extends in a direction parallel to a wall of the member 13 in an amount smaller than the displacement path of the slide 12 as determined by the length of the slot 6.

As indicated in FIGS. 7 and 8, the slide is displaced into a locking position by rotating a key, the bar of which is indicated at 54 in dotted lines in FIG. 7.

Two slots 16 and 17 are punched out through a wall of the element 13. The slot 17 forms a leg of a Z-shaped cutout generally designated 18. The slot 18 includes a vertical wall forming an end of the leg portion 17 which accommodates a projecting tongue 2i) formed as an inward extension of the outer wall of member 13. The slot 18 also includes a horizontal upper wall of a leg portion 38 which terminates in an inwardly projecting pin 19. Two further cutout portions or slots 21 and 22 are provided with a vertical tongue 23 and an inturned horizontal tongue 24. The tongues 23, 24, and 19 serve as aligning and guiding projections for a substantially U-shaped spring element generally designated 25. Spring 25 includes a leg portion 26 having inwardly directed archings or pr-otuberances 27 and 28 arranged for engagement with the key bar 54 which engages the spring at the location of the protuberance 27. The tongue .24 engages this spring at the location of the protuberance 28 in the unlatched position. The spring may be displaced by the key between the tongues 19 and 20 to dispose a connecting web portion 29 at a downwardly displaced location indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 8.

A horizontal tongue or web 36 is formed integral with a wall of the lower latching element 1 and this tongue 36 projects through the leg portion 38 of the slot 18 (FIGS. 7, 8). Bolts 41 and 42 extend through the leg portions 17 and 16 of the slot 18 and these bolts are provided with washers 43 situated within the blockshaped member 1 (FIGS. 5, 6) which confine the bolts 41, 42 within the slots.

Means are provided to hold a slide 12 in a clamping manner in the two end positions of its travel. Such means include a slot 30 provided below the slot 16 into which a pin 31 projects as an extension from the front side of a lower latch portion 1. Inward projections 32 and 33 formed on the interior of the member 13 are arranged to hold a spring element 34 which is substantially L-shaped and includes a straight horizontal section 35 which is bent downwardly into the slot 30 in a manner to bias the bolt 31 into the two extreme end positions of its travel along the slot 30.

When the slide is removed from an unlatched position indicated in FIG. 7 to a latched position indicated in FIG. 8, the 'key is effective to displace the spring 25 downwardly to the dotted line position to move behind a web or tongue 36 which projects inwardly from the lower latching element 1 and holds the element against a movement to an unlatched position. In addition, the bolt 31 which is moved to the opposite end of the slot 30 is held by the force of the spring 34.

The key operates in a reverse manner to lift up the spring 25 to permit backward movement of the web member 36 along the leg portion 38 of the slot 18. The bolt 31 is moved within the slot 30 by forcing the spring 4- 34 upwardly by the application of sufiicient force during the movement of the slide 12.

Thus, the invention provides a simple locking device for valises and the like which includes two latching elements which include mating tongue recess portions which are moved together into overlying positions for latching engagement and which are locked in a latching engagement by a slide element which is slidable on one of the latching elements and which includes a tongue which locks into the other of the latching elements. The arrangement further includes a key locking mechanism comprising a displaceable spring element which is moved behind a projecting tongue of one of the latching elements which is confined in a slot of the slide member. Resilient locking is also accomplished by means of a bent spring member which biases a bolt extension of one of the latching elements in its two extremes of sliding movement in a slot on the slide.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the invention principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

1. A locking mechanism comprising an upper latching member, a lower latching member, one of said latching members having a tongue and the other having a recess into which said tongue is engageable when said latching members are arranged in superposed relationship, and a slide carried by one of said latching members and slidable relative thereto and including an additional tongue engageable with one of said latching members to hold both said latching members in latching engagement, and spring means operable by slidable movement of said slide for maintaining said latching members in either latched engagement or unlatched engagement.

2. A locking mechanism according to claim 1, wherein each of said upper and lower latching members is substantially block-shaped.

3. A locking mechanism according to claim 1, wherein each of said upper and lower latching members includes substantially complementary fiat wall portions which are arranged superjacent when the portions are in latching engagement.

4. A locking mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the lower latching member includes the recess and said upper latching member includes the tongue adapted to extend downwardly into said recess when the members are in latching engagement.

5. A locking mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said slide is of a size to substantially cover said latching members when said members are in latching engagement.

6. A locking mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said upper and lower latching member-s are substantially block-shaped and said slide is connected to said lower latching member for slidable movement in respect thereto and includes a tongue engageable with said upper latching member.

7. A locking mechanism comprising an upper latching member, a lower latching member, one of said latching members having a tongue and the other having a recess into which said tongue is engageable when said latching members are arranged in superposed relationship, and a slide carried by one of said latching members and slidable relative thereto and including an additional tongue engageable with one of said latching members to hold both said latching members in latching engagement, said slide including a wall having a slot there-through, the latching member on which said slide is slidable including a projecting tongue extending into said slot, and displaceable locking means carried by said slide, said displaceable locking means being movable to lock said projecting tongue in a locked position.

8. A locking mechanism according to claim 7, wherein said displaceable locking means includes a spring which is displaced by means of a key adapted to bear against said displaceable locking means.

9. A locking mechanism comprising a first substantially block-shaped latching member adapted to be connected to one part of a device to be latched together, a second substantially block-shaped member adapted to be connected to the other part of a device to be latched together, and a block-shaped slide of a size to cover the two latching members when they are in a superimposed latched position, said slide being slidably connected to one of said latching members and having a tongue engageable with the other of said latching members, and spring means operable by said slide for maintaining said latching members in latching or unlatched engagement in accordance with slidable positioning of said slide.

10. A locking device according to claim 9, wherein one of said latching members includes a tongue, the other of said latching members includes a recess into which said tongue is adapted to project when the members are arranged in a latching position.

11. A locking mechanism comprising a first substantially block-shaped latching member adapted to be connected to one part of the device to be latched together, a second substantially block-shaped member adapted to be connected to another part of the device to be latched together, and a block-shaped slide of a size to cover the two latching member when they are in a superimposed latched position, said slide being slidably connected to one of said latching members and having a tongue engageable with the other of said latching members, one of said latching members being of a substantially channelshaped section, said slides tongue extending outwardly from the slide and having a portion bent substantially parallel with a front wall of said one latching member and adapted to engage behind the front wall within said channel section.

12. A locking device according to claim 11, wherein said slides tongue includes a beveled surface adapted to wedge against a surface of said one latching member to force this member into association with the other of said latching members during looking movement of said slide.

13. A locking mechanism comprising a first substantially block-shaped latching member adapted to be connected to one part of the device to be latched together,

a second substantially block-shaped member adapted to 'be connected to another part of the device to be latched together, and a block-shaped slide of a size to cover the two latching members when they are in a superimposed latched position, said slide being slidably connected to one of said latching members and having a tongue engageable With the other of said latching members, said slide having resilient means carried thereby and a slot defined in said slide, one of said latching members including a bolt extending therefrom through said slot, said resilient means engaging said bolt and biasing said bolt against movement at each end of said slot.

14. A locking mechanism comprising a first substantially block-shaped latching member adapted to be connected to one part of the device to be latched together, a second substantially block-shaped member adapted to be connected to another part of the device to be latched together, and a block-shaped slide of a size to cover the two latching members when they are in a superimposed latched position, said slide means slidably connected to one of said latching members, and having a tongue engageable with the other of said latching members, said slide including a slot, one said latching members including a projection extening into said slot, and a spring member sl-idable in said slide and adapted to move behind said projection to prevent reverse movement thereof in said slot and to hold said latching members in a latched position.

15. A locking device according to claim 14, including a key opening defined in said slide adapted to hold a key in a position contacting said spring member to permit displacement of said spring member upon rotation of said key.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,585,799 Stone .5 May 25, 1926 2,233,115 Thiele Feb. 25, 1941 2,294,120 Levine Aug. 25, 1942 2,897,666 Gumport Aug. 4, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 678,238 Germany 1. July 11, 1939 

11. A LOOKING MECHANISM COMPRISING A FIRST SUBSTANTIALLY BLOCK-SHAPED LATCHING MEMBER ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO ONE PART OF THE DEVICE TO BE LATCHED TOGETHER, A SECOND SUBSTANTIALLY BLOCK-SHAPED MEMBER ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO ANOTHER PART OF THE DEVICE TO BE LATCHED TOGETHER, AND A BLOCK-SHAPED SLIDE OF A SIZE TO COVER THE TWO LATCHING MEMBERS WHEN THEY ARE IN A SUPERIMPOSED LATCHED POSITION, SAID SLIDE BEING SLIDABLY CONNECTED TO ONE OF SAID LATCHING MEMBERS AND HAVING A TONGUE ENGAGEABLE WITH THE OTHER OF SAID LATCHING MEMBERS, ONE OF SAID LATCHING MEMBERS BEING OF A SUBSTANTIALLY CHANNELSHAPED SECTION, SAID SLIDE''S TONGUE EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM THE SLIDE AND HAVING A PORTION BENT SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL WITH A FRONT WALL OF SAID ONE LATCHING MEMBER AND ADAPTED TO ENGAGE BEHIND THE FRONT WALL WITHIN SAID CHANNEL SECTION. 